Battle Of The Resort Quick Service Disney Dining: Art Of Animation Vs. Pop Century

When it comes to picking which Walt Disney World Resort to stay at, there are many factors that come into play. There’s location (proximity to the Parks is important!), transportation options, entertainment/amenities, price (probably one of the biggest things to consider, at least for my family!), and then there’s the most important of all for us Disney food obsessed folks: what dining options are available within the Resort.

We are a strictly Value Resort family – we love the décor, the atmosphere, and most of all the low price! So when it came to choosing which of the Value Resorts to stay on our last trip, I realized that it all came down to FOOD – that Disney’s Pop Century Resort and Art Of Animation Resort were both great places to stay, but it really came down to what we would want to eat at the end of a long day at the Parks

Layout/Décor: Both have similar layouts, with large open ordering areas that have several different hot food stations which whip up tons of fresh eats – you’ll find salads, sandwiches, burgers, pastas, and grab-n-go options at both locations, and even when it’s meal time and the area is full of people, it never feels too crowded, as there’s plenty of space to move around. Both are brightly lit, and the decorations scattered around are in theme with the Resorts – Animated Film themed sections at Landscape of Flavors, and decade/retro themes over at Everything POP! Both Dining areas have the Resort gift shop attached, which I personally appreciate – I love checking out Disney merchandise whenever and wherever I can!

“Traditional” Food Court Fare: Like I mentioned above, both locations offer some of the same/similar meal options. For breakfast both offer the bounty platter, assorted eggs and an omelette station, create your own yogurt parfaits, French toast/pancakes/waffles, and bagels/bread for toast, danishes, etc. At lunch/dinner time there’s a create your own salad option, Soup and sandwiches, burgers/grilled chicken sandwich, a pizza/pasta station, and a dessert case featuring fresh cookies, cupcakes, cheesecake, and more! The packaged food sections offer sandwiches and salads, snack packs, fruit bowls, yogurts, and more – while the drink coolers offer an assortment of soda, waters, juice, and a small beer/wine section too

So now that we know what to expect from each location, let’s get down to it and talk about the differences between the two dining spots:

Everything Pop Food Court: You’ll find biscuits and gravy, corned beef hash, Empanadas and Spanish quiche on the breakfast menu here, and later in the day they offer up some delicious fresh flatbread pizzas (in varieties like Mediteranean and Margherita!), as well as “home cooked meals” like pot roast, rotisserie chicken, and pork loin. Supreme Nachos, chili, corn dogs, and chili cheese dogs are served up here too. The ice cream station offers up tons of great flavors, and the substantial sundaes are big enough to share!

Landscape Of Flavors Food Court: Disney is trying a lot of new and different things at the food court of their newest Resort, like the breakfast menu that includes a “World Flavors Breakfast Platter” (featuring Portugese Sausage and naan bread!), Chicken, steak and vegetarian breakfast sandwiches, French toast made from challah bread, and create your own smoothies and fruit salad. Lunch and dinner offers the standard fair, but also has some delicious cheesy pesto bread available (that you can buy for a Disney Dining Plan Snack Credit!) as well as a whole Mongolian Grill station that serves sausage, steak, shrimp, and vegetarian platters with delicious sides like sauteed spinach, tomato roasted cauliflower, and freshly made naan bread. Instead of ice cream, they have a gelato station, offering many flavors (including seasonal ones like pumpkin and candy cane!) – and it was seriously yummy!

Claim to Fame: Everything POP: You can’t eat here without snagging a piece of their signature dessert – the Tie-Dye Cheesecake which combines moist red velvet cake with layers of brightly colored cheesecake, to create a colorfully irresistible dessert (seriously – I loved this, and I don’t even like cheesecake that much!)

Claim to Fame: Landscape Of Flavors: The stand out option here is definitely the Mongolian Grill station – and I think the Portugese Sausage platter is the real winner – we had it several times, and each time the sausage was hot and juicy, the naan fresh and soft, and the sides delectable! If you aren’t sure about the sausage, then try the chicken, shrimp, vegetarian, or beef platter options, or snag some sides or naan a la carte for a snack too!

So who’s the winner?Having stayed at both Resorts and eaten at both places, I personally enjoyed the food at Everything Pop! A bit more – I found the service to be faster, the meals a bit heartier, and the experience was just better overall. That being said, it is really a close call – Landscape of Flavors offers some truly unique items, and I loved getting to stay at Art of Animation and enjoy meals there, but the fact that everything is “make your own” and super fresh means that it will take a bit longer to prepare, so the lines tended to be longer, and people were more confused by the options available

But that’s just my opinion – I would love to know What YOU think– which do you prefer? Or does another Resort Quick service location top your list?

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Catie Hiltz is an avid Walt Disney World lover who has been vacationing there since she was tall enough to ride Space Mountain. She believes there is something for everyone at WDW-and especially writing about the benefits of vacationing there as an adult